By Chuck Saletta
It's something I never thought I'd see -- Jim Cramer and Warren Buffett agreeing.
I mean, Buffett is the master of value investing whose favorite holding period is, famously, "forever." Cramer, on the other hand, believes "there's always a bull market somewhere" and encourages frequent trading in pursuit of today's hot stocks.
They couldn't be more different -- so why are they agreeing? And does this signal some kind of economic end times?
It's even worse than that
It's not actually the first time they've agreed -- they both originally supported the government's attempts to bail out the economy. And now, after seeing the utter destruction wrought by those plans, they're both expressing concerns about the consequences.
In his recent annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) shareholders, for instance, Buffett reiterated his support for government intervention into the crisis -- but he had this to say about the effects of the bailout:
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Tuesday, March 31, 2009
High credit score no guarantee against getting card limit cut
By Liz Pulliam Weston
Dear Liz: We recently had our credit limit on a card dropped from $13,000 to $3,900 without notification. When we called the issuer's toll-free number, the folks on the other end could not give us a definitive answer about why the card limit was dropped.
They gave us generalizations as to why it might have been lowered, such as a missed payment or a bad score. But we've never missed a payment and our FICO scores are above 780. What's going on? Do we run a risk of having our credit dinged due to their decision? Is there a resource we can contact?
Answer: A reduced credit limit can indeed hurt your credit scores, because the scoring formulas are so sensitive to the gap between your available credit and the amount you actually use. When that gap is narrowed, it can have a sometimes substantial negative effect on your scores.
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Dear Liz: We recently had our credit limit on a card dropped from $13,000 to $3,900 without notification. When we called the issuer's toll-free number, the folks on the other end could not give us a definitive answer about why the card limit was dropped.
They gave us generalizations as to why it might have been lowered, such as a missed payment or a bad score. But we've never missed a payment and our FICO scores are above 780. What's going on? Do we run a risk of having our credit dinged due to their decision? Is there a resource we can contact?
Answer: A reduced credit limit can indeed hurt your credit scores, because the scoring formulas are so sensitive to the gap between your available credit and the amount you actually use. When that gap is narrowed, it can have a sometimes substantial negative effect on your scores.
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Online bartender guide - Your guide to a better job bartending
I am about to give you my 3 top secrets to my success as a bartender. I have been bartending for 5 years now and after a little trial and error I have came up with a way to get the best bartending jobs and to maintain the highest income possible in my field.
Secret #1 - Take full pride in your work
People can sense when you don't want to be at a job or when you don't care about your job. You have to take pride in your job, especially as a bartender. You need to keep your area clean and clutter free, and you need to make sure that all of your customers are taken care of to the best of your abilities.
When you truly take care of people they will reward you with bigger tips. Even the non tipper will be forced to tip you out of guilt. This is one of my biggest secrets and it really is not a secret, but because everybody has forgotten about working hard it seems like a secret.
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Secret #1 - Take full pride in your work
People can sense when you don't want to be at a job or when you don't care about your job. You have to take pride in your job, especially as a bartender. You need to keep your area clean and clutter free, and you need to make sure that all of your customers are taken care of to the best of your abilities.
When you truly take care of people they will reward you with bigger tips. Even the non tipper will be forced to tip you out of guilt. This is one of my biggest secrets and it really is not a secret, but because everybody has forgotten about working hard it seems like a secret.
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Sunday, March 29, 2009
How to spend time together while spending less cash
By Alana Semuels
Times are tough, and let's face it, lots of people are broke. That makes it hard to pay the bills and buy nice things like Amish space heaters, and it makes it more difficult than ever to handle social situations involving money.We asked for your questions about the etiquette of being broke, and Ask Alana has some answers.
This month: how divorced parents can pay for a wedding if one of them doesn't have much cash; whether to have a housewarming when you're basically broke; whether it is unethical to make your friends contribute to a potluck if they're out of luck financially.
Dear Alana: I am the groom in an upcoming wedding and my parents are divorced. During this tough economic climate, we are proceeding with a pretty nice wedding. I am the only child, so my mother is very excited about the wedding, especially the rehearsal dinner.
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Times are tough, and let's face it, lots of people are broke. That makes it hard to pay the bills and buy nice things like Amish space heaters, and it makes it more difficult than ever to handle social situations involving money.We asked for your questions about the etiquette of being broke, and Ask Alana has some answers.
This month: how divorced parents can pay for a wedding if one of them doesn't have much cash; whether to have a housewarming when you're basically broke; whether it is unethical to make your friends contribute to a potluck if they're out of luck financially.
Dear Alana: I am the groom in an upcoming wedding and my parents are divorced. During this tough economic climate, we are proceeding with a pretty nice wedding. I am the only child, so my mother is very excited about the wedding, especially the rehearsal dinner.
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How Grads Can Compete in the Job Market
By Stacy Rapacon,
After being taught to believe they can be anything, many members of Generation Y never dreamed they'd be doing nothing. But this recession has been quite the wake-up call. In February, unemployment was at a record high of 8.1%. And the unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted) for 20- to 24-year-olds and 25- to 34-year-olds were even higher, at 12.9% and 8.7%, respectively.
Thao Tu is afraid of becoming one of those statistics. By the end of 2009, she'll have earned an associate degree in accounting, just when the general unemployment rate is forecast to approach 10%. While in school, she's already had some bad luck seeking part-time work. After applying for more than 100 jobs since last July, she scored only three interviews and almost gave up.
At the same time, she did what she could to improve her prospects. Tu, 33, picked up a couple of unpaid gigs that awarded her experience in her chosen field. Career consultant Vickie Causa thinks this is a great move. "Recruiters and hiring managers look very favorably on volunteerism," she says.
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After being taught to believe they can be anything, many members of Generation Y never dreamed they'd be doing nothing. But this recession has been quite the wake-up call. In February, unemployment was at a record high of 8.1%. And the unemployment rates (seasonally adjusted) for 20- to 24-year-olds and 25- to 34-year-olds were even higher, at 12.9% and 8.7%, respectively.
Thao Tu is afraid of becoming one of those statistics. By the end of 2009, she'll have earned an associate degree in accounting, just when the general unemployment rate is forecast to approach 10%. While in school, she's already had some bad luck seeking part-time work. After applying for more than 100 jobs since last July, she scored only three interviews and almost gave up.
At the same time, she did what she could to improve her prospects. Tu, 33, picked up a couple of unpaid gigs that awarded her experience in her chosen field. Career consultant Vickie Causa thinks this is a great move. "Recruiters and hiring managers look very favorably on volunteerism," she says.
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Bartending Is No Cakewalk
By: MJ Hunt
Bartending is an unusual and highly rewarding way to make a living. But it’s not as easy a job as you might think and not everyone is cut out for it. If you are new to bartending you might want to consider starting at a smaller bar, or a place that is not overly busy, so you can hone your skills and learn how to prepare a variety of drinks quickly.
If you like it you’ll want to move on to a busy bar, where the real money is. As a bartender, you will be earning a very low wage, so your main source of income will come from your tips. An experienced bartender knows how to maximize tips by working” the customers while doing the job quickly.
He or she has a keen sense of what individual customers want: who requires a little extra pampering, and who wants to get their order quickly and get out of there. Of course, a bartender will be expected to be a little flirtatious with customers, it’s important not to lay it on too thick or come across as pushy.
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Bartending is an unusual and highly rewarding way to make a living. But it’s not as easy a job as you might think and not everyone is cut out for it. If you are new to bartending you might want to consider starting at a smaller bar, or a place that is not overly busy, so you can hone your skills and learn how to prepare a variety of drinks quickly.
If you like it you’ll want to move on to a busy bar, where the real money is. As a bartender, you will be earning a very low wage, so your main source of income will come from your tips. An experienced bartender knows how to maximize tips by working” the customers while doing the job quickly.
He or she has a keen sense of what individual customers want: who requires a little extra pampering, and who wants to get their order quickly and get out of there. Of course, a bartender will be expected to be a little flirtatious with customers, it’s important not to lay it on too thick or come across as pushy.
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Friday, March 27, 2009
Five Steps to a 5-Star Body
By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief
Getting your best body can be as simple as counting to five every day. Really! No matter what goal you’re pursuing—shedding those 10 pounds that have been hanging around too long, toning your trouble zones or simply eating healthier. It's so easy. I think of it as my five-star day. The five-star day is so simple—you just give yourself a star for everything you do right. You get stars for:
Sleep! Try to catch 7 to 9 hours each night. This, I know from personal experience, can seem like an unrealistic goal, but the amount of research that supports the connection between shut-eye and health makes me shoot for this star every day.
For starters, catching enough zzz’s can help you lose weight. In a study of more than 68,000 women, those who dozed seven hours a night weighed 5.5 pounds less than women who slept five hours or less. Ample sleep encourages your body to make more of the fullness hormone leptin and less of the hunger hormone ghrelin, so you’re not as hungry.
Snoozing can also curb anxiety and depression, both of which can lead to emotional eating. As if that’s not enough reason, too little rest can cloud moral judgment, too. Try going to bed just 30 minutes earlier each night to see how much you’ll benefit.
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Getting your best body can be as simple as counting to five every day. Really! No matter what goal you’re pursuing—shedding those 10 pounds that have been hanging around too long, toning your trouble zones or simply eating healthier. It's so easy. I think of it as my five-star day. The five-star day is so simple—you just give yourself a star for everything you do right. You get stars for:
Sleep! Try to catch 7 to 9 hours each night. This, I know from personal experience, can seem like an unrealistic goal, but the amount of research that supports the connection between shut-eye and health makes me shoot for this star every day.
For starters, catching enough zzz’s can help you lose weight. In a study of more than 68,000 women, those who dozed seven hours a night weighed 5.5 pounds less than women who slept five hours or less. Ample sleep encourages your body to make more of the fullness hormone leptin and less of the hunger hormone ghrelin, so you’re not as hungry.
Snoozing can also curb anxiety and depression, both of which can lead to emotional eating. As if that’s not enough reason, too little rest can cloud moral judgment, too. Try going to bed just 30 minutes earlier each night to see how much you’ll benefit.
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Roll Misplaying --- Seven costly mistakes workers make when they leave a job
by Robert Powell
There's many a slip twixt cup and lip. Most people, conventional wisdom might suggest, would roll their entire 401(k) over to an IRA after they leave their employer. But according to data released last week, many workers only roll a portion of their retirement funds into an IRA.
According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, those with $50,000 or more in their 401(k) roll over on average 72.4% of their balance after leaving their employer while those with $1,000 to $2,499 in their 401(k) plan roll over on average just 19.5%.
There are plenty of reasons why someone might roll just a portion over to an IRA. But the consequences, in all but a few cases, can be severe. Uncle Sam will tax the distribution at ordinary income rates, plus assess a 10% penalty.
And that, say experts, is just one of seven easily avoided mistakes workers make after they part ways with their employer:
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There's many a slip twixt cup and lip. Most people, conventional wisdom might suggest, would roll their entire 401(k) over to an IRA after they leave their employer. But according to data released last week, many workers only roll a portion of their retirement funds into an IRA.
According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute, those with $50,000 or more in their 401(k) roll over on average 72.4% of their balance after leaving their employer while those with $1,000 to $2,499 in their 401(k) plan roll over on average just 19.5%.
There are plenty of reasons why someone might roll just a portion over to an IRA. But the consequences, in all but a few cases, can be severe. Uncle Sam will tax the distribution at ordinary income rates, plus assess a 10% penalty.
And that, say experts, is just one of seven easily avoided mistakes workers make after they part ways with their employer:
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How Much Money Can A Bartender Earn?
by Sean Dawson
As opposed to "how much money do bartenders make", perhaps the right question is "what other benefits does bartending allow". Cash is only one of the many benefits. Bartenders also enjoy the chance to work in foreign lands, meet interesting people, work a part-time schedule, and start their career in just a few weeks.
Bartending and travel go hand in hand. Bartending affords you the opportunity to meet all different types of people and to work at many exciting locations around the globe. If you are a good bartender, you can work at some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world.
One of the great benefits of bartending is abiilty to make a full time income from part time hours. Since you can pull in a couple hundred dollars in a few hours, bartending allows for you to pursue other income streams, through either going to college, or starting a business.
The oney made from tending bar can be used as extra cash over and above the income from another job. When you need some extra cash, bartending can be a great option. Top bartenders can pull down over $100,000 a year. Approximately 70% of a bartender's take home pay comes directly from tips.
Obviously you will need to learn the basics of bartending. Whichever direction you choose, you should be able start looking for work as a bartender within just a couple of weeks after beginning a course. The online courses are obviously self-paced, and the schools take just a couple of weeks to complete.
Most importantly, the answer to "How much money do bartenders make" is primarily determined by the bartender's ability to attract great tips. If you are going to tend bar, you should make it your goal to make as much in tips as possible.
Most people focus too much on how to mix drinks instead of the important people skills needed to make larger tips. Obviously bartenders need to be able to quickly mix drinks while being personable. Other duties may include stock maintenance, and cleaning up.
Bartenders are also expected to be great conversationalists who can make customers feel glad they are at the bar. Bartending provides an abundance of opportunities to develop skills that will benefit you in every aspect of your life.
This can lead to other opportunities, as well as broaden your perspective on life. As a bartender, you will have the chance to engage in discussions on a variety of topics and current events.
As opposed to "how much money do bartenders make", perhaps the right question is "what other benefits does bartending allow". Cash is only one of the many benefits. Bartenders also enjoy the chance to work in foreign lands, meet interesting people, work a part-time schedule, and start their career in just a few weeks.
Bartending and travel go hand in hand. Bartending affords you the opportunity to meet all different types of people and to work at many exciting locations around the globe. If you are a good bartender, you can work at some of the finest hotels and resorts in the world.
One of the great benefits of bartending is abiilty to make a full time income from part time hours. Since you can pull in a couple hundred dollars in a few hours, bartending allows for you to pursue other income streams, through either going to college, or starting a business.
The oney made from tending bar can be used as extra cash over and above the income from another job. When you need some extra cash, bartending can be a great option. Top bartenders can pull down over $100,000 a year. Approximately 70% of a bartender's take home pay comes directly from tips.
Obviously you will need to learn the basics of bartending. Whichever direction you choose, you should be able start looking for work as a bartender within just a couple of weeks after beginning a course. The online courses are obviously self-paced, and the schools take just a couple of weeks to complete.
Most importantly, the answer to "How much money do bartenders make" is primarily determined by the bartender's ability to attract great tips. If you are going to tend bar, you should make it your goal to make as much in tips as possible.
Most people focus too much on how to mix drinks instead of the important people skills needed to make larger tips. Obviously bartenders need to be able to quickly mix drinks while being personable. Other duties may include stock maintenance, and cleaning up.
Bartenders are also expected to be great conversationalists who can make customers feel glad they are at the bar. Bartending provides an abundance of opportunities to develop skills that will benefit you in every aspect of your life.
This can lead to other opportunities, as well as broaden your perspective on life. As a bartender, you will have the chance to engage in discussions on a variety of topics and current events.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
This Wealth-Killing Blunder Will Cost You
By Dan Caplinger
Over the past year, we've all gotten a crash course in just how much risk you take on when you buy stocks. But some commentators are taking that logic a step further and arguing that the way millions of investors put money to work in the markets has fundamental flaws that simply can't be overcome.
Specifically, the mutual fund industry is nobody's favorite right now. As many investors sit on 50% losses in the stock market -- and sometimes even worse drops in their funds -- it's easy to make a compelling argument against stock mutual funds right now.
Like kicking someone while he's down, you can hardly lose by saying you shouldn't have invested in stocks last year when they were trading at all-time highs, especially after the pounding the market has taken lately.
At this stage, all you can do is to wish longingly that you had paid attention to this advice before you saw so much of your wealth disappear.
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Over the past year, we've all gotten a crash course in just how much risk you take on when you buy stocks. But some commentators are taking that logic a step further and arguing that the way millions of investors put money to work in the markets has fundamental flaws that simply can't be overcome.
Specifically, the mutual fund industry is nobody's favorite right now. As many investors sit on 50% losses in the stock market -- and sometimes even worse drops in their funds -- it's easy to make a compelling argument against stock mutual funds right now.
Like kicking someone while he's down, you can hardly lose by saying you shouldn't have invested in stocks last year when they were trading at all-time highs, especially after the pounding the market has taken lately.
At this stage, all you can do is to wish longingly that you had paid attention to this advice before you saw so much of your wealth disappear.
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Make Millions From Your Mistakes
By Dan Caplinger
In investing as in many other things, people strive for perfection. Yet as you gain experience managing your portfolio, you'll realize that you can't get every call right. But that doesn't have to hurt your overall results.
For some guidance on dealing with mistakes, it's helpful to look at some of the world's best investors. Their track records have plenty of blemishes on them -- yet those mistakes haven't stopped them from achieving strong performance over the long run.
In fact, many of them would argue that those mistakes have helped them -- by teaching them hard-earned lessons that ended up making them a lot more money in the future.
The Oracle's blunders
Warren Buffett has had a bad year. With Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) huge float available for investment in stocks, Buffett put his expertise into overdrive near the top of the tech boom in 1999.
Given up for dead by many pundits, Berkshire maintained its stable of old-economy stocks -- just before technology started to crumble. Buffett held onto shares of American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) for years, seeing strong gains.
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In investing as in many other things, people strive for perfection. Yet as you gain experience managing your portfolio, you'll realize that you can't get every call right. But that doesn't have to hurt your overall results.
For some guidance on dealing with mistakes, it's helpful to look at some of the world's best investors. Their track records have plenty of blemishes on them -- yet those mistakes haven't stopped them from achieving strong performance over the long run.
In fact, many of them would argue that those mistakes have helped them -- by teaching them hard-earned lessons that ended up making them a lot more money in the future.
The Oracle's blunders
Warren Buffett has had a bad year. With Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) huge float available for investment in stocks, Buffett put his expertise into overdrive near the top of the tech boom in 1999.
Given up for dead by many pundits, Berkshire maintained its stable of old-economy stocks -- just before technology started to crumble. Buffett held onto shares of American Express (NYSE: AXP) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) for years, seeing strong gains.
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Study To Become A Good Bartender
by John Simon
Dating back thousands of years, bartending began as a trade by those that produced liquor and in turn sold it to the public. This was not only a profitable venture for these early bartenders, but provided a product in huge demand by the public. Historically humans have always had a fondness for spirits which is an enormous benefit to those pursuing a bartending career.
Prohibition makes a very clear case that people want their drinks and demand is not quashed by the absence of product. Very few careers can offer you virtually guaranteed placement in literally any place you wish to live and work in the world. Most bartenders, in fact, earn more than entry level college graduates, with some eventually earning 6 figure incomes.
Becoming a successful bartender takes more than just learning to spin drink recipes. The professional bartender is well versed on the legal and business ramifications of alcohol management and service. Today's bartenders are a breed apart, savvy and knowledgeable performers in a fast paced exciting environment.
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Dating back thousands of years, bartending began as a trade by those that produced liquor and in turn sold it to the public. This was not only a profitable venture for these early bartenders, but provided a product in huge demand by the public. Historically humans have always had a fondness for spirits which is an enormous benefit to those pursuing a bartending career.
Prohibition makes a very clear case that people want their drinks and demand is not quashed by the absence of product. Very few careers can offer you virtually guaranteed placement in literally any place you wish to live and work in the world. Most bartenders, in fact, earn more than entry level college graduates, with some eventually earning 6 figure incomes.
Becoming a successful bartender takes more than just learning to spin drink recipes. The professional bartender is well versed on the legal and business ramifications of alcohol management and service. Today's bartenders are a breed apart, savvy and knowledgeable performers in a fast paced exciting environment.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Workouts on the Web
By Melinda Fulmer
If you're determined to get fit, but don't have the budget for a gym membership or an endless parade of exercise DVDs to keep your interest piqued, try getting your workouts from the Web.
Online workouts: In Monday's Health section, an article about online workouts said workout videos from Netflix are available for streaming to PCs but not yet to Macs. Since October, the videos have been available for streaming to Macs that are Intel-based. Also, the wrong website was listed for Ultimate Pilates Workouts. It is www.ultimatepilatesworkouts.com.
The accompanying photo of a woman on an exercise ball was incorrectly credited. The correct credit, Streaming workout videos -- for cardio, Pilates, strength training, yoga and more -- are now available on dozens of sites for absolutely nada.
The only thing they'll cost you is your patience: Most have less-than-perfect picture quality, a barrage of advertising and the occasional broadband hiccup or video lag to contend with.including the source's ".tv" domain, is www.exercisetv.tv. —
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If you're determined to get fit, but don't have the budget for a gym membership or an endless parade of exercise DVDs to keep your interest piqued, try getting your workouts from the Web.
Online workouts: In Monday's Health section, an article about online workouts said workout videos from Netflix are available for streaming to PCs but not yet to Macs. Since October, the videos have been available for streaming to Macs that are Intel-based. Also, the wrong website was listed for Ultimate Pilates Workouts. It is www.ultimatepilatesworkouts.com.
The accompanying photo of a woman on an exercise ball was incorrectly credited. The correct credit, Streaming workout videos -- for cardio, Pilates, strength training, yoga and more -- are now available on dozens of sites for absolutely nada.
The only thing they'll cost you is your patience: Most have less-than-perfect picture quality, a barrage of advertising and the occasional broadband hiccup or video lag to contend with.including the source's ".tv" domain, is www.exercisetv.tv. —
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Avoid This Triple Whammy to Your Wealth
By Dan Caplinger
In the latest installment of our series on government reports that make you say "duh," the Federal Reserve announced today that on the whole, American households were poorer at the beginning of 2009 than they had been the previous year.
That's not news to anyone. But the key lesson you should take from the report may not be so obvious. While falling real estate values and dropping stock prices are mostly beyond your control, you can help reverse the trend of falling net worth by focusing on the one thing you can do to improve your finances: cutting your debt.
Some ugly numbers
The Federal Reserve's flow of funds report typically makes great reading material if you're short on sleeping pills. But recently, those with a morbid sense of curiosity have pored through the document looking for further proof of just how bad the current economic climate really is.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
In the latest installment of our series on government reports that make you say "duh," the Federal Reserve announced today that on the whole, American households were poorer at the beginning of 2009 than they had been the previous year.
That's not news to anyone. But the key lesson you should take from the report may not be so obvious. While falling real estate values and dropping stock prices are mostly beyond your control, you can help reverse the trend of falling net worth by focusing on the one thing you can do to improve your finances: cutting your debt.
Some ugly numbers
The Federal Reserve's flow of funds report typically makes great reading material if you're short on sleeping pills. But recently, those with a morbid sense of curiosity have pored through the document looking for further proof of just how bad the current economic climate really is.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
New Moon Rising
by Paul Clarke
I smell apples. I sniff the glass of brandy, and this is what I’m thinking: Ripe apples, crisp, with an intensity you won’t find unless you stick your head into the branches of an apple tree in early autumn and take a big whiff.
I take a sip and inhale, and much of the brandy seems to instantly evaporate off my tongue. The taste, too, is of apples, though with an intense, fiery finish. At roughly 70 percent alcohol, it’s pretty much a given that this spirit will have all the subtlety of a bucket of hammers—but while it has the potency of jet fuel, it’s surprisingly light and delicate. It’s also, technically, illegal.
“I did a little research on how not to get in trouble doing it,” Ben reassures me as he pours me a sample of his homemade whiskey. Along with his friend, Jim, Ben began distilling at his Seattle home in 2007; the apple brandy I’m tasting is among the first of the spirits they produced.
While Ben’s research reinforced the importance of considering the legal ramifications of home distilling (more on that in a minute, but suffice it to say, all the home distillers in this story are identified only by their first names), it also revealed that the process was quite simple.
“It’s something that you can get into realistically for about $500 and the time to read a couple of books,” Ben says. “This made me realize it’s way easier than most people think.”
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I smell apples. I sniff the glass of brandy, and this is what I’m thinking: Ripe apples, crisp, with an intensity you won’t find unless you stick your head into the branches of an apple tree in early autumn and take a big whiff.
I take a sip and inhale, and much of the brandy seems to instantly evaporate off my tongue. The taste, too, is of apples, though with an intense, fiery finish. At roughly 70 percent alcohol, it’s pretty much a given that this spirit will have all the subtlety of a bucket of hammers—but while it has the potency of jet fuel, it’s surprisingly light and delicate. It’s also, technically, illegal.
“I did a little research on how not to get in trouble doing it,” Ben reassures me as he pours me a sample of his homemade whiskey. Along with his friend, Jim, Ben began distilling at his Seattle home in 2007; the apple brandy I’m tasting is among the first of the spirits they produced.
While Ben’s research reinforced the importance of considering the legal ramifications of home distilling (more on that in a minute, but suffice it to say, all the home distillers in this story are identified only by their first names), it also revealed that the process was quite simple.
“It’s something that you can get into realistically for about $500 and the time to read a couple of books,” Ben says. “This made me realize it’s way easier than most people think.”
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Monday, March 23, 2009
How the Best Investors Beat the Bear
By Dan Caplinger
With all the terrible news that you've heard about the economy, the financial markets, and money matters both close to home and around the world lately, it may seem reasonable to think that your dreams of financial security will never come true. But if you still have some years left before you need to take spending money from your portfolio, don't panic -- you have plenty of time.
Thrown for a loop
The bear market crash we've gone through since last summer has fundamentally changed the way many people look at their investments. For years, you could count on your portfolio rising slowly but steadily over time, giving you the feeling that you were making real progress, and making you confident that you'd reach the finish line on your terms.
Now, like a marathon runner seeing Heartbreak Hill for the first time, you're being put to the test. With doubts rising about market stalwarts like General Electric (NYSE: GE), and the markets plumbing the depths and touching lows we haven't seen in more than a decade, people are simply losing confidence in stocks.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
With all the terrible news that you've heard about the economy, the financial markets, and money matters both close to home and around the world lately, it may seem reasonable to think that your dreams of financial security will never come true. But if you still have some years left before you need to take spending money from your portfolio, don't panic -- you have plenty of time.
Thrown for a loop
The bear market crash we've gone through since last summer has fundamentally changed the way many people look at their investments. For years, you could count on your portfolio rising slowly but steadily over time, giving you the feeling that you were making real progress, and making you confident that you'd reach the finish line on your terms.
Now, like a marathon runner seeing Heartbreak Hill for the first time, you're being put to the test. With doubts rising about market stalwarts like General Electric (NYSE: GE), and the markets plumbing the depths and touching lows we haven't seen in more than a decade, people are simply losing confidence in stocks.
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The Best Stocks to Buy in This Market
By Ilan Moscovitz
You're probably getting all sorts of conflicting messages these days.
On the one hand, you have gloom-and-doom predictions from luminary economists like Nouriel "Dr. Doom" Roubini, calling an S&P 500 bottom possibly as low as 600 -- more than 20% below yesterday's close.
On the other hand, you have the world's most respected investor, Warren Buffett, saying that now is a good time to buy. Buffett is also putting new money to work, buying shares of Burlington Northern (NYSE: BNI) and Ingersoll-Rand.
What's a Fool to do?
With so much debate over what has been roundly dubbed "the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," I wanted to actually look back at how various strategies fared during each of the other financial crises since the Great Depression.
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You're probably getting all sorts of conflicting messages these days.
On the one hand, you have gloom-and-doom predictions from luminary economists like Nouriel "Dr. Doom" Roubini, calling an S&P 500 bottom possibly as low as 600 -- more than 20% below yesterday's close.
On the other hand, you have the world's most respected investor, Warren Buffett, saying that now is a good time to buy. Buffett is also putting new money to work, buying shares of Burlington Northern (NYSE: BNI) and Ingersoll-Rand.
What's a Fool to do?
With so much debate over what has been roundly dubbed "the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," I wanted to actually look back at how various strategies fared during each of the other financial crises since the Great Depression.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
What You Need To Know About Being A Bar Chef
From The American Mixologist
The term “bar chef” has entered our lexicon. Not limited to just chefs, the term is best applied to those who venture behind the bar bringing the flavors of the kitchen and melding them with the creative output of the bar. In other instances cases, these resourceful souls find glory pairing specific cocktails with particular foods.
Whereas many of us might be somewhat intimidated about recommending to guests what foods they try with which cocktails, bar chefs have no such fear. They work in a field where they are required to combining complementary and occasionally disparate ingredients into a delectable mélange. Extending that pursuit to the bar is seen as a natural progression.
“My goal is to have my guests experience spirits in ways that they can appreciate them, in ways that they would never have thought of by pairing them with complementary food dishes,” says Andrew Featherstone, executive chef at Winchester’s, a popular, high-end restaurant in Canton, Georgia. “In return, this gives the guest a new level of experience that could not have been achieved by drinking these spirits or cocktails alone.”
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The term “bar chef” has entered our lexicon. Not limited to just chefs, the term is best applied to those who venture behind the bar bringing the flavors of the kitchen and melding them with the creative output of the bar. In other instances cases, these resourceful souls find glory pairing specific cocktails with particular foods.
Whereas many of us might be somewhat intimidated about recommending to guests what foods they try with which cocktails, bar chefs have no such fear. They work in a field where they are required to combining complementary and occasionally disparate ingredients into a delectable mélange. Extending that pursuit to the bar is seen as a natural progression.
“My goal is to have my guests experience spirits in ways that they can appreciate them, in ways that they would never have thought of by pairing them with complementary food dishes,” says Andrew Featherstone, executive chef at Winchester’s, a popular, high-end restaurant in Canton, Georgia. “In return, this gives the guest a new level of experience that could not have been achieved by drinking these spirits or cocktails alone.”
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Sunday, March 22, 2009
How to Blow Your Credit Limit -- Without Spending
by Kelli B. Grant
If you haven't had the credit limit cut on your credit card recently, count yourself lucky. Risk-averse card issuers are getting slash happy. And while many cardholders gripe that such cuts slice razor-close to their balance amounts, for an unfortunate few the cuts go far deeper: below what they currently owe.
Under different circumstances, David Chaplin-Loebell wouldn't have minded that American Express cut his unlimited credit line to just $5,000. Except that when AmEx reduced his line in October, he had an outstanding balance of $10,000. "I found out by having a business purchase declined," he says.
Repeated calls to AmEx failed to yield an answer about why the cut was made. Chaplin-Loebell, who lives in Philadelphia, is now paying the balance under his regular card terms, and presumes the line will free up for new purchases once he's below the limit. "For now, they've essentially frozen the account," he says, leaving him to juggle business expenses on his personal cards. American Express did not respond to requests for comment.
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If you haven't had the credit limit cut on your credit card recently, count yourself lucky. Risk-averse card issuers are getting slash happy. And while many cardholders gripe that such cuts slice razor-close to their balance amounts, for an unfortunate few the cuts go far deeper: below what they currently owe.
Under different circumstances, David Chaplin-Loebell wouldn't have minded that American Express cut his unlimited credit line to just $5,000. Except that when AmEx reduced his line in October, he had an outstanding balance of $10,000. "I found out by having a business purchase declined," he says.
Repeated calls to AmEx failed to yield an answer about why the cut was made. Chaplin-Loebell, who lives in Philadelphia, is now paying the balance under his regular card terms, and presumes the line will free up for new purchases once he's below the limit. "For now, they've essentially frozen the account," he says, leaving him to juggle business expenses on his personal cards. American Express did not respond to requests for comment.
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Where the Jobs Are, Spring 2009
by Tara Weiss and Emily Schmitt
Thanks to last year's strong harvest of apples and the jobs that followed in juicing, packaging and shipping, Yakima, Wash., has the strongest employment outlook in the country for the second quarter of 2009, according to a quarterly survey by employment services firm Manpower.
"This is an agricultural base, a huge apple-growing region," says Bill Cook, director of community and economic development for Yakima. "Last year's apple harvest was huge, and it helped carry employment through the winter.
Even in a normal economic year that wouldn't happen."
Cities in the Pacific Northwest and Texas have the best employment outlook for April through June, while cities in the Southeast have the weakest, according to the study.
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Thanks to last year's strong harvest of apples and the jobs that followed in juicing, packaging and shipping, Yakima, Wash., has the strongest employment outlook in the country for the second quarter of 2009, according to a quarterly survey by employment services firm Manpower.
"This is an agricultural base, a huge apple-growing region," says Bill Cook, director of community and economic development for Yakima. "Last year's apple harvest was huge, and it helped carry employment through the winter.
Even in a normal economic year that wouldn't happen."
Cities in the Pacific Northwest and Texas have the best employment outlook for April through June, while cities in the Southeast have the weakest, according to the study.
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What to Look For in Bartending Training Schools
By Making Money Online
Bartending isn’t playtime: it’s a highly skilled vocation that requires both professional training and hands-on experience to become good at it. There are a lot of bartending schools out there, some better than others. How do you choose among the options?
First things first: make sure you only look for bartending schools that are licensed to teach and have the correct professional credentials. A reputable school will be able to provide this information to you, and will not put pressure on you to sign up for a course. They will have affliliations with hospitality industry organizations.
Searching for the right bartending school is not unlike choosing a college or university. Visit the establishment, meet with the staff, ask to see the schedule of their training course and ask about what other kinds of services they can provide. It’s important to remember that serving alcohol professionally carries legal risks and obligations, so it is imperative that you train through a reputable program.
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Bartending isn’t playtime: it’s a highly skilled vocation that requires both professional training and hands-on experience to become good at it. There are a lot of bartending schools out there, some better than others. How do you choose among the options?
First things first: make sure you only look for bartending schools that are licensed to teach and have the correct professional credentials. A reputable school will be able to provide this information to you, and will not put pressure on you to sign up for a course. They will have affliliations with hospitality industry organizations.
Searching for the right bartending school is not unlike choosing a college or university. Visit the establishment, meet with the staff, ask to see the schedule of their training course and ask about what other kinds of services they can provide. It’s important to remember that serving alcohol professionally carries legal risks and obligations, so it is imperative that you train through a reputable program.
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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Predator's Ball: Cashing In Without Getting Fleeced
by Robert Kiyosaki
This will be a politically incorrect article. It may seem unkind, insensitive, and cruel given the fact that so many people are hurting financially. Many have lost their jobs, homes, retirement security, and hope. Yet -- if you can see beyond today and let intelligence, not emotion, rule the day -- now is the time to position yourself for riches.
You see, the biggest predator's ball in history is in its planning stages and invitations are being sent out. For about a year now, friends and associates have been inviting me to join their investment pools. One friend has over a billion dollars in cash sitting on the sidelines.
Last night, another friend said that a large bank had invited him to bid on their portfolio of foreclosures. The minimum price: $30 million in cash. He estimated that for that price we could acquire over a billion in distressed properties. For $1 million, I could buy a ticket to the party. I passed on the deal, saying the price was out of my league.
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This will be a politically incorrect article. It may seem unkind, insensitive, and cruel given the fact that so many people are hurting financially. Many have lost their jobs, homes, retirement security, and hope. Yet -- if you can see beyond today and let intelligence, not emotion, rule the day -- now is the time to position yourself for riches.
You see, the biggest predator's ball in history is in its planning stages and invitations are being sent out. For about a year now, friends and associates have been inviting me to join their investment pools. One friend has over a billion dollars in cash sitting on the sidelines.
Last night, another friend said that a large bank had invited him to bid on their portfolio of foreclosures. The minimum price: $30 million in cash. He estimated that for that price we could acquire over a billion in distressed properties. For $1 million, I could buy a ticket to the party. I passed on the deal, saying the price was out of my league.
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The Top 4 Places to Invest Now
By Dan Caplinger
Few people have managed to avoid big losses over the past year. But rather than simply giving up and walking away from the stock market, a tough economic environment requires that you double your efforts and prioritize where your savings will do the most good.
Still, it's tough to know exactly where you should put your investing dollars right now. With so many demands on your money -- along with the uncertainty of whether you'll stay employed and maintain your income in the near future -- you're probably having trouble saving as much as you'd like.
So if you don't have enough savings to cover all your bases, you'll want to be smart in prioritizing. To help make the best decisions, here are some recommendations for the four top places where your savings will do you the most good.
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Few people have managed to avoid big losses over the past year. But rather than simply giving up and walking away from the stock market, a tough economic environment requires that you double your efforts and prioritize where your savings will do the most good.
Still, it's tough to know exactly where you should put your investing dollars right now. With so many demands on your money -- along with the uncertainty of whether you'll stay employed and maintain your income in the near future -- you're probably having trouble saving as much as you'd like.
So if you don't have enough savings to cover all your bases, you'll want to be smart in prioritizing. To help make the best decisions, here are some recommendations for the four top places where your savings will do you the most good.
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How Every Touch Counts. Every Time
From ManageYourBar.com
It used to take hours, a day or even a few days before a customer's experience was shared with his/her friends and family. A bad meal or a great experience might have been discussed that evening or at work the next day.
That was before the cell phone which meant that customers could text their experience to one or two friends. Maybe even take a picture of a great dish with their camera phone.
But this delayed form of communication is nothing compared to the speed at which hundreds or thousands of people can be updated about your experience thanks to the arrival of Facebook and Twitter.
Web-enabled Cell Phones and PDAs have made it extremely easy to install these social media applications. Think about what this means for your business for a second and think why every touch counts:
A customer waiting for attention from the waiter instead decides to update his Facebook Status with the message that "I'm in The Mill bar and can't get service. Hate that".
This message then becomes visible to the customer's network of hundreds or thousands of friends. Could this have a negative effect on perception and even on bookings? Potentially.
A similar incident became widely publicized recently when the high profile wine blogger and internet celebrity Gary Vaynerchuk attended a conference in Miami.
His poor experience in a high profile hotel affected him so much he video blogged about it, as did a few other high profile internet folks with the result that hundreds of thousands of people learned of their experience within 24 hours. The results were huge and the hotel went into fire-fighting mode to try and offset the negative publicity.
The effects will be felt for a while because two of the blogger's comments are on the first page of Google for anyone searching for Mondrian Miami. Can you afford an impact like this? Could you survive it?
So the next time you sit down with your staff or plan your training schedule, don't forget that every touch counts. Every time.
It used to take hours, a day or even a few days before a customer's experience was shared with his/her friends and family. A bad meal or a great experience might have been discussed that evening or at work the next day.
That was before the cell phone which meant that customers could text their experience to one or two friends. Maybe even take a picture of a great dish with their camera phone.
But this delayed form of communication is nothing compared to the speed at which hundreds or thousands of people can be updated about your experience thanks to the arrival of Facebook and Twitter.
Web-enabled Cell Phones and PDAs have made it extremely easy to install these social media applications. Think about what this means for your business for a second and think why every touch counts:
A customer waiting for attention from the waiter instead decides to update his Facebook Status with the message that "I'm in The Mill bar and can't get service. Hate that".
This message then becomes visible to the customer's network of hundreds or thousands of friends. Could this have a negative effect on perception and even on bookings? Potentially.
A similar incident became widely publicized recently when the high profile wine blogger and internet celebrity Gary Vaynerchuk attended a conference in Miami.
His poor experience in a high profile hotel affected him so much he video blogged about it, as did a few other high profile internet folks with the result that hundreds of thousands of people learned of their experience within 24 hours. The results were huge and the hotel went into fire-fighting mode to try and offset the negative publicity.
The effects will be felt for a while because two of the blogger's comments are on the first page of Google for anyone searching for Mondrian Miami. Can you afford an impact like this? Could you survive it?
So the next time you sit down with your staff or plan your training schedule, don't forget that every touch counts. Every time.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Madoff: Go Directly to Jail, Do Not Pass Go
By Alyce Lomax
Bernard Madoff has pleaded guilty to the mother of all Ponzi schemes. He'll go directly to jail pending sentencing, instead of to the cushy $7 million townhouse where he hung out while under house arrest. We hope he'll learn his lesson -- or at least, that he'll spend the rest of his life in prison -- but honestly, there are things in this case for all of us to learn.
Truth and consequences
Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 charges; he'll be sentenced on June 16, with the possibility of a prison sentence as long as 150 years. What was originally reported to be a $50 billion fraud has now risen in estimation to $65 billion; Madoff's firm said 4,800 investor accounts held that total amount in November. So far, only $1 billion in assets has been recovered.
Among the amazing elements of this case: Madoff's firm made no real trades for at least 13 years! The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that employees had allegedly created fake trading tickets to help support the illusion that trades were taking place for Madoff's clients.
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Bernard Madoff has pleaded guilty to the mother of all Ponzi schemes. He'll go directly to jail pending sentencing, instead of to the cushy $7 million townhouse where he hung out while under house arrest. We hope he'll learn his lesson -- or at least, that he'll spend the rest of his life in prison -- but honestly, there are things in this case for all of us to learn.
Truth and consequences
Madoff pleaded guilty to 11 charges; he'll be sentenced on June 16, with the possibility of a prison sentence as long as 150 years. What was originally reported to be a $50 billion fraud has now risen in estimation to $65 billion; Madoff's firm said 4,800 investor accounts held that total amount in November. So far, only $1 billion in assets has been recovered.
Among the amazing elements of this case: Madoff's firm made no real trades for at least 13 years! The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this week that employees had allegedly created fake trading tickets to help support the illusion that trades were taking place for Madoff's clients.
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What Buffett Won't Be Buying Next
By Tim Hanson and Brian Richards
Warren Buffett's annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders is to the investing world what the Super Bowl is to Las Vegas.Which is to say: It's big.
So this story begins
When Buffett talks, we, for two, listen.
Inspired by the 2007 Berkshire shareholder letter, Tim sat down and wrote "5 Potential Buffett Picks," an article pointing out five stocks that met the criteria Buffett said he uses to pick stocks or businesses to buy for Berkshire.
That screen produced well-known names such as eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) and Paychex (Nasdaq: PAYX), as well as smaller players such as Tractor Supply (Nasdaq: TSCO). For those who don't recall (we know it's a small number; indulge us), it looked for the following five traits:
These are substantial, growing, financially healthy, well-run, easy-to-understand businesses -- a pretty alluring combination, if we do say so ourselves.
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Warren Buffett's annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders is to the investing world what the Super Bowl is to Las Vegas.Which is to say: It's big.
So this story begins
When Buffett talks, we, for two, listen.
Inspired by the 2007 Berkshire shareholder letter, Tim sat down and wrote "5 Potential Buffett Picks," an article pointing out five stocks that met the criteria Buffett said he uses to pick stocks or businesses to buy for Berkshire.
That screen produced well-known names such as eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY) and Paychex (Nasdaq: PAYX), as well as smaller players such as Tractor Supply (Nasdaq: TSCO). For those who don't recall (we know it's a small number; indulge us), it looked for the following five traits:
At least $75 million in pre-tax earnings.
Demonstration of consistent earnings power.
Good returns on equity (ROE) while employing little or no debt.
Management in place.
Simplicity ("If there's lots of technology, we won't understand it").
These are substantial, growing, financially healthy, well-run, easy-to-understand businesses -- a pretty alluring combination, if we do say so ourselves.
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The Savvy Art Of Barmanship
From The American Mixologist
While acknowledging that experience heightens intuition, timing and market awareness, most beverage operators I’ve met insist success in the bar business is predicated on creating a human connection with people and ensuring they feel welcomed, comfortable and well treated. It’s precisely that unwavering standard of care for their clientele at the heart of building repeat business and sustainable profitability.
It’s somewhat ironic that these same seasoned professionals are among the least content and most hands-on overseers of their businesses. The fact that their guests enjoyed th emselves two visits ago no longer counts. The only thing that matters is how well they are treated tonight.
Rendering street smarts and bar savvy into a tutorial on how to keep your clientele engaged and coming back may be an inexact science, but it certainly must contain the following precepts.
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While acknowledging that experience heightens intuition, timing and market awareness, most beverage operators I’ve met insist success in the bar business is predicated on creating a human connection with people and ensuring they feel welcomed, comfortable and well treated. It’s precisely that unwavering standard of care for their clientele at the heart of building repeat business and sustainable profitability.
It’s somewhat ironic that these same seasoned professionals are among the least content and most hands-on overseers of their businesses. The fact that their guests enjoyed th emselves two visits ago no longer counts. The only thing that matters is how well they are treated tonight.
Rendering street smarts and bar savvy into a tutorial on how to keep your clientele engaged and coming back may be an inexact science, but it certainly must contain the following precepts.
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Tuesday, March 17, 2009
What's Next? Dow 10,000?
By Morgan Housel
No, I haven't jumped ship since asking "What's next? Dow 5,000?" I'm still pessimistic. Borderline cynical. The financial industry is still an utter mess, despite Citigroup's (NYSE: C) illusory insistence that it's profitable. Until the Treasury comes out with a financial plan with a backbone, banks will wallow, and stock indices probably won't be too far behind.
I say "probably" because, honestly, no one has a clue. As Warren Buffett recently wrote to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) shareholders, he and Charlie Munger are "certain ... that the economy will be in shambles throughout 2009 -- and, for that matter, probably well beyond -- but that conclusion does not tell us whether the stock market will rise or fall."
Up, down, sideways, inside out ... no one knows. That's what keeps people intrigued.
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No, I haven't jumped ship since asking "What's next? Dow 5,000?" I'm still pessimistic. Borderline cynical. The financial industry is still an utter mess, despite Citigroup's (NYSE: C) illusory insistence that it's profitable. Until the Treasury comes out with a financial plan with a backbone, banks will wallow, and stock indices probably won't be too far behind.
I say "probably" because, honestly, no one has a clue. As Warren Buffett recently wrote to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A) (NYSE: BRK-B) shareholders, he and Charlie Munger are "certain ... that the economy will be in shambles throughout 2009 -- and, for that matter, probably well beyond -- but that conclusion does not tell us whether the stock market will rise or fall."
Up, down, sideways, inside out ... no one knows. That's what keeps people intrigued.
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Reduce your grocery bill using the Web
By Kim Komando
Q. Like everyone these days, I need to save money. Can you tell me the best place to find coupons on the Internet? I am specifically looking for grocery coupons.
A. The need to save money is pretty much universal these days. A bank loan would help at the grocery store. Of course, most people couldn't get one of those! So, clipping coupons is the way to save at the grocery store.
But who has time to clip coupons from the newspaper? OK, you can still find good deals there. But there may be an easier way. You can find coupons for almost anything online. That includes grocery stores.
Coupon sites can help you save on all sorts of things. Some provide printable coupons you bring to the store. Others offer promotional codes for online transactions. Yes, you can order groceries online. Some stores will deliver them to your doorstep.
Some of these sites require you to download a coupon-printer program. Some people are wary of such programs. I don't have a problem with them. If you're worried, read this tip.
Valpak.com is a recognizable name to coupon clippers. Enter your city, state or ZIP code to tailor results to your area. Click the grocery tab to get started. You'll see coupons for dozens of products.
I featured other coupon sites in the past. SmartSource, Coupons.com and Coupon Mountain are three great sources. Learn more about them in this tip. You'll find coupons for general products and specific stores.
You may shop at smaller markets. These may not be represented at these coupon sites. Google Maps may have the solution for you. You can search for printable coupons in your area. You won't find deals for large grocery stores. But you will find smaller markets and delis.
More help for shoppers:
• Stay safe while shopping online
• Specialty sites help you save money
• A different way to buy and sell online
Q. Like everyone these days, I need to save money. Can you tell me the best place to find coupons on the Internet? I am specifically looking for grocery coupons.
A. The need to save money is pretty much universal these days. A bank loan would help at the grocery store. Of course, most people couldn't get one of those! So, clipping coupons is the way to save at the grocery store.
But who has time to clip coupons from the newspaper? OK, you can still find good deals there. But there may be an easier way. You can find coupons for almost anything online. That includes grocery stores.
Coupon sites can help you save on all sorts of things. Some provide printable coupons you bring to the store. Others offer promotional codes for online transactions. Yes, you can order groceries online. Some stores will deliver them to your doorstep.
Some of these sites require you to download a coupon-printer program. Some people are wary of such programs. I don't have a problem with them. If you're worried, read this tip.
Valpak.com is a recognizable name to coupon clippers. Enter your city, state or ZIP code to tailor results to your area. Click the grocery tab to get started. You'll see coupons for dozens of products.
I featured other coupon sites in the past. SmartSource, Coupons.com and Coupon Mountain are three great sources. Learn more about them in this tip. You'll find coupons for general products and specific stores.
You may shop at smaller markets. These may not be represented at these coupon sites. Google Maps may have the solution for you. You can search for printable coupons in your area. You won't find deals for large grocery stores. But you will find smaller markets and delis.
More help for shoppers:
• Stay safe while shopping online
• Specialty sites help you save money
• A different way to buy and sell online
Spotting Employee Substance Abuse
From The American Mixologist
Between 15% and 20% of employees abuse alcohol, illicit drugs, or both while on the job, according to the National Council on Alcoholism. Perhaps as much as 35% of the American labor force reports to work “high,” say some analysts.
A survey of 450 hospitality industry employees conducted by Reid Psychological Systems suggests that drug use in hotels, bars and restaurants exceed national norms. The study found that 36% admitted that they had used substances on the job.
The drugs of choice were marijuana and cocaine; a combined 12% reported that they used either right before or while at work. The psychologists conducting the study said that these admissions were probably understated; in such surveys, people normally confess to only half of their “counter-productive acts.”
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Between 15% and 20% of employees abuse alcohol, illicit drugs, or both while on the job, according to the National Council on Alcoholism. Perhaps as much as 35% of the American labor force reports to work “high,” say some analysts.
A survey of 450 hospitality industry employees conducted by Reid Psychological Systems suggests that drug use in hotels, bars and restaurants exceed national norms. The study found that 36% admitted that they had used substances on the job.
The drugs of choice were marijuana and cocaine; a combined 12% reported that they used either right before or while at work. The psychologists conducting the study said that these admissions were probably understated; in such surveys, people normally confess to only half of their “counter-productive acts.”
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Monday, March 16, 2009
Believe In Yourself
by Djehuty Ma'at-Ra
That's right! BELIEVE IN YOURESLF! Believe in yourself and your God-given abilities. No matter who or what you may be up against at present, believe in yourself and that you have what it takes to be triumphant in the end. Believe that you are worthy of God/Universe's assistance in everything.
If there is something you desire, believe in yourself worth. Believe that you are worthy of receiving all that you desire, especially if it's for your Greater Good and the Greater Good of the world.
Believe in yourself for if you do not believe in yourself, who will? I have come to learn that the more we believe in ourselves, the more others come to believe in us and our abilities as well, and whether we desire this or not.
Belief in one's self come from triumph over obstacles, from experiences gained from life lessons, from one's accumulated knowledge and the application of that knowledge and which leads to desired outcomes and objectives; and from knowing one's self (especially the reasons why you are alive and on the planet, what you are here to do).
I reiterate, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Believe that you have the intelligence to figure out all of life's riddles. Believe that you have the strength, willpower, fortitude, and tenacity to persevere in all of your trials and tribulations (which are nothing but tests and opportunities).
Believe that you have the power of dynamic magnetism to attract everything you need and require for your life's existence and purpose. Believe that you have the love deep within self to give to another and which you would like to be reciprocated. Believe that you are loved and worthy to be loved.
Believe that all of your worldly needs and obligations are met.
Been eyeing someone for a while, some one you find attractive and can't stop thinking about? Approach the person and make yourself and feelings known. Believe in yourself and step to the person.
Is there a certain job position open that you really desire? Believe in yourself and GO FOR IT! Apply for that job or position. Don't make any excuses as to why you should not apply for the position. Just apply for it if you truly want it.
Want to stop working that corporate 9 to 5 and follow your heart? Believe in yourself that you can not only make it, but also be successful at following your heart's desire.
Believe that you are the best and you shall become the best. Believe that you are loved and you shall be loved. Believe that you are rich and wealthy and you shall be rich and wealthy. Believe that you are protected and you shall be protected. Believe that you are victorious and you shall be victorious.
Believe that you are powerful and you shall become powerful. Believe that you can be healed (from any disease) and you shall be healed. Believe that you are prosperous and you shall be prosperous. Believe you are provided for and you shall be provided for. Believe you can pass a test and you shall.
The word 'shall' is a very powerful word in the English language. In the field of law, the term 'shall' means 'mandatory.' You see, belief in a thing makes the physical manifestation of the thing mandatory. It's a law that the physical equivalent of a mental thing manifest itself.
Fighting city hall (government) and desire to win? Believe you can win and you shall win in accordance pursuant to Higher law. Oh, and it also helps to be on the side of righteousness in all matters dealing with the state (government) legally and knowing the facts about the law or laws.
You could perform many miracles in life if you would just believe in yourself.
The little seed of belief can grow and blossom into a giant tree of knowing. All belief is enhanced and magnified by knowledge. Start with belief and graduate into knowledge.
By all means or by any means necessary - BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!
That's right! BELIEVE IN YOURESLF! Believe in yourself and your God-given abilities. No matter who or what you may be up against at present, believe in yourself and that you have what it takes to be triumphant in the end. Believe that you are worthy of God/Universe's assistance in everything.
If there is something you desire, believe in yourself worth. Believe that you are worthy of receiving all that you desire, especially if it's for your Greater Good and the Greater Good of the world.
Believe in yourself for if you do not believe in yourself, who will? I have come to learn that the more we believe in ourselves, the more others come to believe in us and our abilities as well, and whether we desire this or not.
Belief in one's self come from triumph over obstacles, from experiences gained from life lessons, from one's accumulated knowledge and the application of that knowledge and which leads to desired outcomes and objectives; and from knowing one's self (especially the reasons why you are alive and on the planet, what you are here to do).
I reiterate, BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Believe that you have the intelligence to figure out all of life's riddles. Believe that you have the strength, willpower, fortitude, and tenacity to persevere in all of your trials and tribulations (which are nothing but tests and opportunities).
Believe that you have the power of dynamic magnetism to attract everything you need and require for your life's existence and purpose. Believe that you have the love deep within self to give to another and which you would like to be reciprocated. Believe that you are loved and worthy to be loved.
Believe that all of your worldly needs and obligations are met.
Been eyeing someone for a while, some one you find attractive and can't stop thinking about? Approach the person and make yourself and feelings known. Believe in yourself and step to the person.
Is there a certain job position open that you really desire? Believe in yourself and GO FOR IT! Apply for that job or position. Don't make any excuses as to why you should not apply for the position. Just apply for it if you truly want it.
Want to stop working that corporate 9 to 5 and follow your heart? Believe in yourself that you can not only make it, but also be successful at following your heart's desire.
Believe that you are the best and you shall become the best. Believe that you are loved and you shall be loved. Believe that you are rich and wealthy and you shall be rich and wealthy. Believe that you are protected and you shall be protected. Believe that you are victorious and you shall be victorious.
Believe that you are powerful and you shall become powerful. Believe that you can be healed (from any disease) and you shall be healed. Believe that you are prosperous and you shall be prosperous. Believe you are provided for and you shall be provided for. Believe you can pass a test and you shall.
The word 'shall' is a very powerful word in the English language. In the field of law, the term 'shall' means 'mandatory.' You see, belief in a thing makes the physical manifestation of the thing mandatory. It's a law that the physical equivalent of a mental thing manifest itself.
Fighting city hall (government) and desire to win? Believe you can win and you shall win in accordance pursuant to Higher law. Oh, and it also helps to be on the side of righteousness in all matters dealing with the state (government) legally and knowing the facts about the law or laws.
You could perform many miracles in life if you would just believe in yourself.
The little seed of belief can grow and blossom into a giant tree of knowing. All belief is enhanced and magnified by knowledge. Start with belief and graduate into knowledge.
By all means or by any means necessary - BELIEVE IN YOURSELF!
Even in a recession, some companies are hiring
By CHRISTOPHER S. RUGABER
Help wanted: pharmacists, engineers and nurses. Believe it or not, even some banks are hiring, at least for their technology teams. While the recession has claimed 4.4 million jobs, the economy has created others, many of them for highly trained and specialized professionals. More than 2 million jobs openings now exist across a range of industries, according to government data.
Job seekers beware, though. An average of nearly five people are competing for each opening. That's up sharply from a ratio of less than 2-to-1 in December 2007, when the recession was just starting and nearly 4 million openings existed.
Human resources executives say companies that are hiring are benefiting from a top-notch talent pool as applications pour in from a larger base of job seekers. The number of unemployed Americans has soared, to 12.5 million last month, from 7 million when the recession began. professionals.
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Help wanted: pharmacists, engineers and nurses. Believe it or not, even some banks are hiring, at least for their technology teams. While the recession has claimed 4.4 million jobs, the economy has created others, many of them for highly trained and specialized professionals. More than 2 million jobs openings now exist across a range of industries, according to government data.
Job seekers beware, though. An average of nearly five people are competing for each opening. That's up sharply from a ratio of less than 2-to-1 in December 2007, when the recession was just starting and nearly 4 million openings existed.
Human resources executives say companies that are hiring are benefiting from a top-notch talent pool as applications pour in from a larger base of job seekers. The number of unemployed Americans has soared, to 12.5 million last month, from 7 million when the recession began. professionals.
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Wintertime Is Liqueurs Time To Shine
From The American Mixologist
As winter grabs hold and your customers are forced to contend with howling Arctic winds and frostbitten extremities, crank up the heat with warm spirited drink specialties featuring the classic liqueurs of the season.
For on-premise gurus and master mixologists, winter is rife with marketing opportunities. There is a wide array of drink types and styles that lend themselves to seasonal promotions, far more than at any other time of the year. One of the key elements of the beverage oprator’s winter repertoire is promoting liqueurs.
The reason is that liqueurs are formulated to deliver a tremendous amount of flavor and as any casual lounge observer will confirm, flavor is what people are looking for.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
As winter grabs hold and your customers are forced to contend with howling Arctic winds and frostbitten extremities, crank up the heat with warm spirited drink specialties featuring the classic liqueurs of the season.
For on-premise gurus and master mixologists, winter is rife with marketing opportunities. There is a wide array of drink types and styles that lend themselves to seasonal promotions, far more than at any other time of the year. One of the key elements of the beverage oprator’s winter repertoire is promoting liqueurs.
The reason is that liqueurs are formulated to deliver a tremendous amount of flavor and as any casual lounge observer will confirm, flavor is what people are looking for.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Saturday, March 14, 2009
100 Creative, Painless (and Even Therapeutic) Ways to Downsize Your Life After a Layoff
Getting laid off is definitely a jolt as you find yourself without your job, important benefits such as health insurance, and--for many--an identity. Instead of getting bogged down in what you've lost, take this opportunity to embrace a more simplified life.
You may discover that downsizing your life brings you surprising benefits including more personal time, more time for friends and family, and greater happiness. You will also be pleased to discover how much you can do for so little money without having to live like a monk.
The following tips and suggestions provide plenty of opportunities for you to take advantage of a chance for finding fulfillment after a layoff.
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You may discover that downsizing your life brings you surprising benefits including more personal time, more time for friends and family, and greater happiness. You will also be pleased to discover how much you can do for so little money without having to live like a monk.
The following tips and suggestions provide plenty of opportunities for you to take advantage of a chance for finding fulfillment after a layoff.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Customers buy with their eyes more often than you think
From ManageYourBar.com
I went out for dinner with my beautiful other half for Valentine's Day. (Actually we went out on the Friday night instead, to beat the crowds) and I witnessed a great example of how to increase the average customer spend.
We went to a great steakhouse in Columbus, Ohio and were seated at our table nice and promptly. After a few minutes of waiting, we were offered pre-dinner drinks and it was then that the fun began!
The waiter wheeled over a trolley with a large oval tray full of beautiful juicy cuts of steak, each one bigger and more juicy than the next. The waiter explained each and every cut and what his recommended sides were. He also had a bowl of the fresh vegetables that would be used as the sides and bowls of the various sauces we could add to our meal.
As if this wasn't enough, he went on to explain each of the specials in detail as well as what desserts we should be leaving space for. As you can imagine, we could almost taste the food being described.
All this was done before we ever saw a menu or price. We both ended up ordering an upgraded version of what he had already planned! And why wouldn't we? We had seen how fresh everything was, we saw the size of the portions in advance and knew exactly what we would be getting.
Our fears of portion size or freshness were removed and we were treated to a great dining experience.
What experiences are you giving your customers? Are you putting on a show? If not, try to come up with a signature touch or mini-event that your customers will talk about and end up spending more because of.
Barry
I went out for dinner with my beautiful other half for Valentine's Day. (Actually we went out on the Friday night instead, to beat the crowds) and I witnessed a great example of how to increase the average customer spend.
We went to a great steakhouse in Columbus, Ohio and were seated at our table nice and promptly. After a few minutes of waiting, we were offered pre-dinner drinks and it was then that the fun began!
The waiter wheeled over a trolley with a large oval tray full of beautiful juicy cuts of steak, each one bigger and more juicy than the next. The waiter explained each and every cut and what his recommended sides were. He also had a bowl of the fresh vegetables that would be used as the sides and bowls of the various sauces we could add to our meal.
As if this wasn't enough, he went on to explain each of the specials in detail as well as what desserts we should be leaving space for. As you can imagine, we could almost taste the food being described.
All this was done before we ever saw a menu or price. We both ended up ordering an upgraded version of what he had already planned! And why wouldn't we? We had seen how fresh everything was, we saw the size of the portions in advance and knew exactly what we would be getting.
Our fears of portion size or freshness were removed and we were treated to a great dining experience.
What experiences are you giving your customers? Are you putting on a show? If not, try to come up with a signature touch or mini-event that your customers will talk about and end up spending more because of.
Barry
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
My Crock-Pot: Mean, green, $30 recession-fighting machine
By Jeff Yeager
What if I told you that I have a special Recession-Fighting Machine and that it cost me less than $30? In fact, you can probably find one at a local thrift store for a lot less than that, or the odds are pretty good that you may already have one hidden away in your kitchen cupboard.
If the status-appliance of the last decade was a $10,000 Viking gas range, then the good old-fashioned Crock-Pot — AKA "slow cooker" — is the kitchen appliance du jour for today's tight economy.
My mom still has — and recently drafted back into active duty — the avocado green one with the funky paisley designs that I fondly remember her serving up a myriad of lentil concoctions from in the 1970s.
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What if I told you that I have a special Recession-Fighting Machine and that it cost me less than $30? In fact, you can probably find one at a local thrift store for a lot less than that, or the odds are pretty good that you may already have one hidden away in your kitchen cupboard.
If the status-appliance of the last decade was a $10,000 Viking gas range, then the good old-fashioned Crock-Pot — AKA "slow cooker" — is the kitchen appliance du jour for today's tight economy.
My mom still has — and recently drafted back into active duty — the avocado green one with the funky paisley designs that I fondly remember her serving up a myriad of lentil concoctions from in the 1970s.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Learn to cut your food bill 25%
By Jeff Yeager
So the price of food has gone up about 8% in the past year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Stop your complaining! As my mother always told me, "I like my whine in a glass, but not at the dinner table."
I'd have more sympathy for a lot of Americans who are upset about soaring food costs if it weren't for the fact that most of them can reduce what they spend on food by about 25% if they'd only do as my mother also told me: "Shut your yap and clean your plate!" (Now you know where I get my gifts for both language and tact.)
Prepare for shock and awe (and national embarrassment): According to government sources, roughly 25% of the food Americans buy goes to waste. That's about one pound of food, per American, per day -- thrown in the trash. Sadly we've crossed the line from Land of Plenty to Land of Waste.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
So the price of food has gone up about 8% in the past year, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Stop your complaining! As my mother always told me, "I like my whine in a glass, but not at the dinner table."
I'd have more sympathy for a lot of Americans who are upset about soaring food costs if it weren't for the fact that most of them can reduce what they spend on food by about 25% if they'd only do as my mother also told me: "Shut your yap and clean your plate!" (Now you know where I get my gifts for both language and tact.)
Prepare for shock and awe (and national embarrassment): According to government sources, roughly 25% of the food Americans buy goes to waste. That's about one pound of food, per American, per day -- thrown in the trash. Sadly we've crossed the line from Land of Plenty to Land of Waste.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Cocoa, Tea & Other Luscious Hot Specialties
From The American Mixologist
A signature drink needs three things to become an enduring classic; great taste, good production value and perceived value. Successful specialty drinks invariably have an intriguing taste, a captivating flavor not easily replicated without being privy to the recipe. If they want to taste it again, they have to come back.
From a marketing standpoint, production value encompasses color, aroma, consistency and presentation. Specialty drinks must look special, like something one couldn’t easily concoct at home.
Unusually colored drinks attract attention and stir the imagination. Don’t discount the importance of aroma—the better a drink smells, the better it sells. Even the act of hand shaking a drink enhances its production value. The sights and sounds of a drink being masterfully prepared certainly improves its marketability.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
A signature drink needs three things to become an enduring classic; great taste, good production value and perceived value. Successful specialty drinks invariably have an intriguing taste, a captivating flavor not easily replicated without being privy to the recipe. If they want to taste it again, they have to come back.
From a marketing standpoint, production value encompasses color, aroma, consistency and presentation. Specialty drinks must look special, like something one couldn’t easily concoct at home.
Unusually colored drinks attract attention and stir the imagination. Don’t discount the importance of aroma—the better a drink smells, the better it sells. Even the act of hand shaking a drink enhances its production value. The sights and sounds of a drink being masterfully prepared certainly improves its marketability.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Monday, March 09, 2009
Fifty-Dollar-an-Hour Earning Power
by Clare Kaufman
Imagine that every hour you spend on the job makes you fifty dollars richer; two hours, and you're up to three figures; a year of full-time work, and you've got a six-figure salary. Fifty-dollar-an-hour careers net eight times the federal minimum wage.
Only five percent of Americans command this kind of money. With the right online degree, you can be one of them. The following career paths will give you $50-an-hour earning power:
1. Pharmacist
Earnings (2007): $48.31/hour $100,480 salary
Health care workers are gaining earning power by the day, as an aging population boosts demand for qualified professionals. Pharmacists play a critical role in long-term care regimens, dispensing medications and advising patients about their use, possible side effects, and interactions with other drugs. Demand for pharmacists is expected to grow by twenty-two percent through 2016.
A licensed pharmacist holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The qualification, which has replaced the bachelor's degree in Pharmacy, is much more accessible than a medical or doctoral degree. It begins with the standard two-year undergraduate core curriculum, followed by four academic years (or three calendar years) of professional pharmacy career training.
About a quarter of the Pharm.D. program is dedicated to hands-on training in a clinical setting. If six years of college education seems daunting, consider embarking on a pharmacy technician career with a two-year associate's degree, and pursuing your Pharm.D. online while you work.
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Imagine that every hour you spend on the job makes you fifty dollars richer; two hours, and you're up to three figures; a year of full-time work, and you've got a six-figure salary. Fifty-dollar-an-hour careers net eight times the federal minimum wage.
Only five percent of Americans command this kind of money. With the right online degree, you can be one of them. The following career paths will give you $50-an-hour earning power:
1. Pharmacist
Earnings (2007): $48.31/hour $100,480 salary
Health care workers are gaining earning power by the day, as an aging population boosts demand for qualified professionals. Pharmacists play a critical role in long-term care regimens, dispensing medications and advising patients about their use, possible side effects, and interactions with other drugs. Demand for pharmacists is expected to grow by twenty-two percent through 2016.
A licensed pharmacist holds a Doctor of Pharmacy degree. The qualification, which has replaced the bachelor's degree in Pharmacy, is much more accessible than a medical or doctoral degree. It begins with the standard two-year undergraduate core curriculum, followed by four academic years (or three calendar years) of professional pharmacy career training.
About a quarter of the Pharm.D. program is dedicated to hands-on training in a clinical setting. If six years of college education seems daunting, consider embarking on a pharmacy technician career with a two-year associate's degree, and pursuing your Pharm.D. online while you work.
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The Only Way to Stop Losing Money
By Dan Caplinger
When you talk to investors about the costs that affect their investing the most, you'll hear a lot about broker commissions. Yet in the long run, another type of fee can cost you thousands of dollars -- giving you plenty of incentive to take the next step in your stock market education, and start buying individual stocks on your own.
Mutual funds have huge advantages for beginning investors. When you're first beginning to invest, a good mutual fund gives you several benefits. You can start with a diversified portfolio, even if you only have a few hundred dollars to invest.
You can read your fund manager's annual reports and shareholder letters to get insight on your fund's approach to successful investing. And over time, you can add to your investment nearly effortlessly, simply buying new shares whenever you have extra cash to put to work in the market.
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When you talk to investors about the costs that affect their investing the most, you'll hear a lot about broker commissions. Yet in the long run, another type of fee can cost you thousands of dollars -- giving you plenty of incentive to take the next step in your stock market education, and start buying individual stocks on your own.
Mutual funds have huge advantages for beginning investors. When you're first beginning to invest, a good mutual fund gives you several benefits. You can start with a diversified portfolio, even if you only have a few hundred dollars to invest.
You can read your fund manager's annual reports and shareholder letters to get insight on your fund's approach to successful investing. And over time, you can add to your investment nearly effortlessly, simply buying new shares whenever you have extra cash to put to work in the market.
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The Ten Commandments Of Service Excellence
From The American Mixologist
We all have our thresholds. Rankle our sensibilities, render lousy service and anyone of us is capable of going ballistic. There are unwritten conventions governing professional bar conduct. You know most of them intuitively.
Then why is it that so many bartenders consistently step on these seemingly straightforward rules? And why do so many of those bar jockeys to wait on me? A bartender’s degree of professionalism is most apparent when the bar is slammed.
Whether it’s that certain “calm under fire” quality or their precise bursts of movement, really great bartenders are a genuine pleasure to watch. On the flip side, a bartender who loses his cool, making guests bear the brunt of his anger is like a cold hard slap of reality. People get kicked around plenty in their day-to-day lives without being subjected to it during “happy hour.”
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We all have our thresholds. Rankle our sensibilities, render lousy service and anyone of us is capable of going ballistic. There are unwritten conventions governing professional bar conduct. You know most of them intuitively.
Then why is it that so many bartenders consistently step on these seemingly straightforward rules? And why do so many of those bar jockeys to wait on me? A bartender’s degree of professionalism is most apparent when the bar is slammed.
Whether it’s that certain “calm under fire” quality or their precise bursts of movement, really great bartenders are a genuine pleasure to watch. On the flip side, a bartender who loses his cool, making guests bear the brunt of his anger is like a cold hard slap of reality. People get kicked around plenty in their day-to-day lives without being subjected to it during “happy hour.”
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Thursday, March 05, 2009
The Secret to Trouncing the Market
By Mike Pienciak
Lean in close, Fools, and prepare to be stunned by a deceptively simple strategy for market-crushing gains. Ready?
First, build a cash hoard. Next, just as a market bubble is beginning to form, screen for companies whose earnings and dividends have been up, down, and sideways for the past 10 years.
But don't shy away! Instead, buy this basket of wonky performers hand over fist. Hold on tight through the bubble years, and then sell with the remorseless ferocity of a loose canon right before the market nosedives.
Congratulations! Not only will you have made a killing, but also you will have doubled the returns of the poor chaps who decided to stick with high-quality names. Not bad, eh?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
Lean in close, Fools, and prepare to be stunned by a deceptively simple strategy for market-crushing gains. Ready?
First, build a cash hoard. Next, just as a market bubble is beginning to form, screen for companies whose earnings and dividends have been up, down, and sideways for the past 10 years.
But don't shy away! Instead, buy this basket of wonky performers hand over fist. Hold on tight through the bubble years, and then sell with the remorseless ferocity of a loose canon right before the market nosedives.
Congratulations! Not only will you have made a killing, but also you will have doubled the returns of the poor chaps who decided to stick with high-quality names. Not bad, eh?
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
How to Profit in a Recession
By Andrew Sullivan, CFA
Let me guess: You're probably excited about some of the bargains in the market right now, but scared that we could be in for a protracted recession -- or even depression. Let's face it, the words "nationalization" and "our banks" have collided in the same sentence more than once in recent memory.
So how can you reconcile the desire to take advantage of what could end up being the opportunity of our lifetimes with the desire not to lose any more money? How about buying into a very specific business model that (I think) is not only one of the best on this planet but also extremely well-suited for a recession?
Salivate over this business model
This business model is one in which:
Let me guess: You're probably excited about some of the bargains in the market right now, but scared that we could be in for a protracted recession -- or even depression. Let's face it, the words "nationalization" and "our banks" have collided in the same sentence more than once in recent memory.
So how can you reconcile the desire to take advantage of what could end up being the opportunity of our lifetimes with the desire not to lose any more money? How about buying into a very specific business model that (I think) is not only one of the best on this planet but also extremely well-suited for a recession?
Salivate over this business model
This business model is one in which:
Raw materials (or other variable costs) are a high percentage of costs.
Raw materials are turned into a unique product with a strong brand.
Products are consumable and deliver an essential service to the buyer.
The Dangers of Running and Jogging
Many runners and joggers don't know it, but there is a grave danger in running and jogging, especially when they are performed daily. These are unnatural exercises and do not take place in most parts of the Eastern world.
These are Western exercises and concoctions and serve to compensate for the sedentary lifestyles of many Americans who are spending 6-8 hours per day sitting down on a job. This activity is unnatural, though called for in the Matrix under purposes of "making a living." That's what we do in the Matrix - make a living instead of "living our making."
I have dealt with many runners and joggers who have complained to me of their foot, ankle, knee, and leg injuries due to running and jogging. Most complained of knee injuries and understandably so.
Many people who are longtime runners and/or joggers develop a condition known as chondromalacia, medically defined as a softening of the cartilage. The morphemes "chondro", "chondr", and "chondri' all mean: "pertaining to cartilage."
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These are Western exercises and concoctions and serve to compensate for the sedentary lifestyles of many Americans who are spending 6-8 hours per day sitting down on a job. This activity is unnatural, though called for in the Matrix under purposes of "making a living." That's what we do in the Matrix - make a living instead of "living our making."
I have dealt with many runners and joggers who have complained to me of their foot, ankle, knee, and leg injuries due to running and jogging. Most complained of knee injuries and understandably so.
Many people who are longtime runners and/or joggers develop a condition known as chondromalacia, medically defined as a softening of the cartilage. The morphemes "chondro", "chondr", and "chondri' all mean: "pertaining to cartilage."
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
How To Be A Better Bartender Guide -- Story Behind Bartending
By Dirk Blurd
For those who are interested in bartending, Setting up is really quite easy. However, there are few aspects that one must know in order to a good and efficient bartender. In order for the bar to be efficient and successful, one must secure all the basic wines, liquors and spirits and with the right equipment, your bar will surely succeed.
In addition to that, proper techniques in mixing drinks and cocktails are very essential for the bar’s success. The bar’s location is also one of the essential factors.The bar must be located in an area that is highly accessible and must have plenty of space behind it. The bar must also have ample areas for the glasses and drinks.
The bartender must be knowledgeable with regards to the area behind the bar and must know everything on the subject of bartending. The bartender must be acquainted with their area well and must know how to act upon their mixing duties once the business is on the rise.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
For those who are interested in bartending, Setting up is really quite easy. However, there are few aspects that one must know in order to a good and efficient bartender. In order for the bar to be efficient and successful, one must secure all the basic wines, liquors and spirits and with the right equipment, your bar will surely succeed.
In addition to that, proper techniques in mixing drinks and cocktails are very essential for the bar’s success. The bar’s location is also one of the essential factors.The bar must be located in an area that is highly accessible and must have plenty of space behind it. The bar must also have ample areas for the glasses and drinks.
The bartender must be knowledgeable with regards to the area behind the bar and must know everything on the subject of bartending. The bartender must be acquainted with their area well and must know how to act upon their mixing duties once the business is on the rise.
Click Here to Continue Reading This Post
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